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HOW TO CLEAN YOUR CLOTHES WHEN YOU TRAVEL

If there is one single thing I can’t really stand when I travel, that’s the smell of a "full-of-dirty-clothes" suitcase. A stinky suitcase. Add a few sweaty days of traveling, take away my favourite washing machine, and I am left with non-fresh and dirty clothes.

The whole concept idea behind this post is to help you start organising your suitcase better, by removing heavy and useless clothes and only keep the necessities - and guess what, those necessities can be washed too! Surprised? Yep, the good news is that it’s pretty easy to keep things under control if you just plan ahead.

Keeping you clothes clean when you travel is a big challenge, I know. And travelling is a dirty business too. But if you follow my advice, you ‘ll get that fresh smell #ontheroad immediately!

First things first. Make sure that you get a soap at station which you can use to wash your clothes in the sink or bath tube. Should those products are not available for any reason (late arrival at destination) you can always use the bath gel provided by the hotel. It’s not the ideal solution but it’s a smart option that really works. I ‘ve done it many many times myself.

Another great solution are the "Laundry Bar Soaps", which are super effective and you can always pack them in your suitcase. Super convenient solution!

Grab some stain remove products, like dry cleaning wipes. They work without water - but they are not suitable for underwear obviously. Getting small stains on your clothes is inevitable, I know. So be prepared!

You can always count on your Hotel Laundry Service too, which is the easiest way to get clothes clean. A bit pricey sometimes but it’s worth it, especially if you love those kind of queen services. Lots of hotels have laundry options, If you have delicates but please, please avoid giving your underwear out.

You can also wash your clothes at a local dry cleaner. Personally, I have never done it, I always wash the clothes myself in the tube or give them out to the hotel laundry service.

HOW TO DRY YOUR CLOTHES

Search around your bathroom for a laundry line, just above the bath tube. You just pin it from side to side and there you can hang your clothes.

If there is no laundry line available and you can’t really hang your clothes anywhere in the room, find a dry towel, lay it on the bed, place a garment on the towel, and roll it up tight. The dry towel will suck out some additional moisture, allowing your clothes to dry faster when hanging inside on a rope.

Always use a towel underneath your underwear, for hygiene reasons. Always do that.

The same goes for outdoor chairs, like in the balcony. Always put a towel before letting your clothes touch the chair.

HOW TO IRON YOUR CLOTHES

If there is no iron available in the room, you can always request one from the reception. Sometimes they have an Iron Room on every floor, which is available to all guests.

Try the “Steam Shower”. This is a classic method that only requires hangers and a hot shower. Using steam to release wrinkles has been in practice for decades and the "Steam Shower" is exactly what it sounds like.How it works: place your garments on your shower rod and make sure that the shower head is angled away from the clothing. Run the water as hot as possible and close the bathroom door to create a sauna effect. After 10 minutes you should have the desired results!

DON'T FORGET

Avoid packing heavy fabrics whenever possible—they are heavier in weight and take forever to dry! Invest in layering instead and pack lightweight fabrics that don’t wrinkle and will dry quickly. You can always use the plastic LAUNDRY bags, which are usually placed in the room wardrobe. Keep your dirty clothes separately in a corner of your suitcase and don’t forget to enhance the fresh smell with some lavender fresh wipes!